Step 1: Confirm where they are active
Before setting anything, map the activity. Droppings and rub marks show you the travel routes. Traps and stations work best placed along walls on those routes, not in the open.
Step 2: Remove the current population
Snap traps placed perpendicular to walls are effective for a few mice. Larger or recurring problems usually need a combination of interior traps and tamper-resistant exterior stations, which should be handled by a professional around children and pets.
Step 3: Close the entry points
A mouse can fit through a gap about the size of a dime. Common entry points in Michigan homes include garage door corners, dryer vents, gaps where gas, water and cable lines enter, weep holes and the gap between the foundation and siding. Pack small gaps with steel wool and seal them.
Step 4: Remove what attracts them
Store pet food, birdseed and grass seed in hard containers, clean up under appliances and keep firewood and clutter away from the house.
Why mice keep coming back
If mice return every fall, the population outside your home is the problem. Exterior stations intercept mice before they reach the house, which is why we include them in our rodent program and check them on every quarterly visit.
Need help now? See our mouse control and rodent control services for Southeast Michigan homes.